There Is No Good Side
by Venaira
Summary: When the first wolf's time after the curse is broken comes, Ruby turns to magic for help. But, as the werewolf soon learns, all magic comes with a price. (T for language as it progresses) Eventual Red Snow.
1. Chapter 1

Cheeks flushed with frustration, panic making her heart beat so fast she thought it would explode. The freezer couldn't hold her, not after twenty-eight years without changing, without letting the wolf run. That was the problem, nothing would be able to contain the beast when it wanted to run, nothing ordinary anyway.  
Which meant Ruby would have to turn to magic, which left her with very limited options. There was always Mr. Gold, but she had nothing that he would want in return for this favor, and by the time she did have something that would catch his eye…she'd probably be unwilling to give it up. A whine of frustration left her full lips, realizing who she would have to turn to.  
Regina.  
Just the thought of the woman, once queen, sent a shiver through the brown-eyed young woman. Maybe making a deal with Mr. Gold wouldn't be too bad, but wasn't Regina trying to change to show Henry she did love him? Maybe she would be a little more…merciful in that case. Ruby scampered off towards the powerful woman's house with as optimistic an outlook as she could find in her heart to have without being too unrealistic.  
When Regina opened her door, a rather distressed-looking guest greeted her. "Ruby…you're one of the last people I expected a visit from, what's the occasion?" An eyebrow raised, eyes almost suspicious of her visitor's intent after the nightmares that had been plaguing her.  
"I need…I need your help," faced with the woman she couldn't help but find intimidating, Ruby was hesitant to ask for what she needed. But, she couldn't endanger her friends, or innocent inhabitants of the town.  
The sly smirk that curves the older woman's lips is that of a predator, "And what seems to be the problem, dear? Nothing that a bit of magic can't fix, I assume." After all, magic was her specialty, and as the werewolf must know: magic comes with a price.  
"It's the first night of wolf's time…I need somewhere that can contain the wolf that hasn't awoken in twenty eight years. Do you have such a place? Please, I can't risk any lives being taken!" _Or worse, a brutal massacre_, her mind whispered her fear, and mere knowledge that it was a possibility made her eyes sting and threaten to water.  
"Of course I can't allow anyone in my town to be killed or injured. I can create a place that will hold you, a place no one will accidentally stumble across, and you can use it for however long you need, whenever you need to. But in exchange, you have to do something for me."  
"Anything!" Ruby agreed immediately, desperate to have the peace of mind to know she won't harm anyone.  
"Destroy Mary Margaret and David's relationship," Regina's smirk was cruel, "I know how close you two had been in our world, though I don't know the extent of it. Keep David away from her, break both of their hearts beyond repair and you can keep everyone safe." She knew the long-haired woman would try to protest, try to spare her friend's feelings, so she leaned forwards lightly with a deliciously malicious smile, "Or, if you'd rather, risk ripping them to shreds. Imagine Mary Margaret's face when she finds her prince, or even her precious daughter, ripped to shreds because of the wolf."  
Tears ran down Ruby's cheeks, her body trembling as she whispered the words, "I'll do it."


	2. Chapter 2

As Ruby struggled through the rest of her day, the guilt of what she must do in order to protect her friends-no, her family-weighed heavily on the brown-eyed girl. She didn't dare meet Mary Magaret's eyes, and whenever the short-haired woman was around, she couldn't help but turn the other way or immerse herself in her work at the dinner. Of course, the other woman knew her well enough to know that something was troubling her.  
"Ruby, is everything okay? You seem down," Mary Margaret's brow furrowed slightly in concern for her old friend. "You know that if anything's wrong you can talk to me, right?" Her only response was a silent nod, and her gaze moved down to fidgeting fingers as they danced across the counter top to pick up a rag to wipe it down with. The silence grew like a dragon's rage and engulfed the pair, only confirming Mary Margaret's suspicion that Ruby wasn't about to give anything away.  
Brown eyes remained downcast, staring at the rag their owner used to polish the counter until it was spotless. When she did speak, her voice was soft, barely above a whisper, "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay? Stay safe tonight." The werewolf ignored her friend's confused look as she escorted her to the door and flipped the sign to closed, locking it the second the paler woman was outside. A sigh escaped her, a quiet whine leaving her as she dreaded what she was to do, how she was to devastate her friend. She didn't have time to dell on those thought, she had to meet Regina before it was too late, before the wolf had its freedom.

It almost appeared that Regina had just built on a room to her vault, a holding cell for an entire being rather that only its heart. Regardless of the brute force the wolf contained, she couldn't escape her prison, only be beaten into submission by it and her own panic. Somewhere, deep, deep within the beast, a scared young woman cowered and submitted to her fate, and the monster she had been convinced she was.  
From his bedroom, as Henry dozed off, a faint howl reached his ears. Thinking nothing of the moon's cycle, he passed it off as Archie's dalmatian. Rooms away, the sound brought a smirk to his adoptive mother's lips.

The sun couldn't rise soon enough, and when the mayor finally descended into her vault to release her prisoner, the door was ripped open with ripples of magic. Regina's dark eyes took in the scene that greeted her, a bruised woman known as Ruby lying senseless on the floor. Her heels clicked harshly against the stone floor as she stalked over to the unconscious body. None-too-gently she gripped and shook one of Ruby's shoulders, "Wake up, it's in your best interest that no one sees you leave. You may come back tonight, and don't forget your task."


	3. Chapter 3

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" Wide Hazel eyes were full of concern as they took in the long-haired woman on the doorstep.  
Ruby was silent, her eyes downcast as she tried to compose herself. When she spoke, her voice was quiet, barely above a murmur, "Can I come in?"  
"Of course!" Mary Margaret pulled the door open, gently ushering her old friend inside. She studied the obviously distressed individual, "Would you like some tea, or coffee, maybe?"  
"Don't be nice to me," Ruby's voice shook as she tried to stay composed, staring down at the floor with brown eyes.  
Mary Margaret's heart nearly broke, her friend looked like a kicked puppy and she couldn't help but pull her into a hug, gently squeezing her. "You can tell me anything," she whispered.  
Tears hit the short-haired woman's shoulder, soaking into her white shirt. A pale hand came up and gently ran long fingers through tousled hair, trying to soothe her distressed friend. "Please, tell me what's wrong, Red," she whispered, hoping the old identity would help convince her.  
The words were choked out, tears rolling freely down Ruby's cheeks, "You have to leave Charming," her breath was ragged and in desperation her lips crashed into the shocked woman's.  
Mary Margaret shoved her friend back, wincing a little when the force made Ruby's back hit the wall, "What the hell?! Why would I ever want to leave the man I love, let alone need to?"  
"…he might die if you don't."  
Brown eyes remained on the floor, tears threatening to spill from them, "I'm so sorry," she whispered.  
"No! What do you mean, he might die?" The shorter woman was furious, to say the least. She was used to people threatening her husbands life but now her best friend was?  
"If you don't leave him, the town won't be safe from me at wolf's time. I can't control myself, I don't want to be the reason your husband is dead," Ruby whispered, unable to speak louder.  
"How will me leaving him protect anyone?" The black-haired woman challenged.  
"…that's the only way she'll agree to keep me locked up in a place strong enough to hold me," the werewolf's back slid down the wall until she was sitting.  
"You don't need her to lock you away like some monster, Ruby. We're your friends, we can help you," Mary Margaret murmured, desperate not to lose her true love.  
"I am a monster. It's for everyone's safety," came the whisper as knees were hugged to her chest. Bitterly, she wished the curse had never been broken, that she could have had a happy ending with the woman she had come to love in this world and the last. "Just….please. I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have," she whispered, forcing herself into a standing position. She recoiled from a pale hand that reached for her arm, she didn't deserve to be comforted.  
Mary Margaret watched, conflicted and with despair in her eyes as the other woman refused her touch. "Ruby…please, let me help you. You aren't a monster, you never were. You learned how to control the wolf, the wolf has even helped us."  
"The wolf is too powerful for me, I haven't changed in twenty eight years. I can't risk killing everyone here. The wolf may have helped you before, but now it just wants to kill, and I can't risk the chance of it killing you," Ruby pulled the door open and left with a final whispered sentence.

"I love you."


	4. Chapter 4

"Go speak with the mayor and her pet wolf." The words were spoken before the poor sheriff even had time to say hello as she picked up the phone.  
"Slow down, what are you talking about? And why do you sound angrier than when David was leading you on?" Emma was tentative to ask this, unsure if she wanted to know what was going on. She knew about the never-ending feud between her mother-God, that was strange to accept- and Regina. The explanation that the usually calm, shy woman gave her had gained enough volume that the phone was now held at arm's length and Emma could still hear her perfectly.  
Not wanting some of that fury turned on her, the blonde sighed, bringing the phone to her ear once more, "I'll go speak with Regina and see what's going on, I'll talk to Ruby later. Do _not_ tell David anything about this, I don't need him trying to go after Ruby to threaten her and make things worse." Only after a muttered word of agreement did Emma hang up.  
An exasperated sigh left her, fingers running through her hair as she stood and headed for the door to her office, dread filling her with the talk she had to have with the mayor. The walk to the only mansion in town didn't take as long as she would have liked, and it was with an utter lack of enthusiasm that she knocked on the front door.  
"And what do you need _today_, Miss Swan?" Regina crossed her arms under her chest, raising an expectant eyebrow.  
"Save it, what did you do to Ruby?" Emma questioned rather bluntly.  
"I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about. Ruby came to me for help with the wolf's time, and I agreed to see what I could do. I fail to see how that should enrage her."  
"What are you trying to make her do in return for your help?" Emma prompted.  
"What are you implying, Miss Swan?"  
Emma's patience had worn out, "Why did Ruby imply that you're making her try to separate her best friend and David?"  
"Miss Swan, have you ever considered that she's lying? She and your mother were very, very close in our world; maybe Ruby merely wants a taste of it again." Regina's eyes narrowed slightly, though her voice remained level and calm. "Until you can support evidence to back yourself up, I suggest you remove yourself from my property." A smug smirk curved her full lips as she watched the blonde bristle at the implication.  
"I _will_ find out what you're up to," the latter promised, looking straight into those cold brown eyes. Irritatingly enough, she saw a glimmer of amusement within those eyes. Did the mayor really enjoy toying with her, with everyone, like this?

* * *

Ruby let herself into the library, relieved to find it unlocked. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she let the smell of old books soothe her a bit as she searched for the sweet librarian. Her boots were almost silent against the carpet, her brown eyes searching every logical place within sight. "Belle?" She called out a bit softer than one should when trying to get someone's attention, but she felt like a pup wandering around on her own for the first time. Not to mention that she didn't want to startle the poor woman if she was on a ladder.  
"Just a minute!" The reply seemed to echo around the building, the cute accent of the familiar woman almost soothing to the werewolf. She wondered what it was like in the place where everyone had that accent, where ever that place may be. Carefully, she navigated around piles and carts of books, walking over to the desk to wait for Belle.  
The sight that greeted the shorter woman was a very distressed close friend, possibly her only friend around here for now. "What happened?" she asked, concerned.  
Ruby looked up, distraught. "The monster isn't the wolf… it's _me_."  
Belle furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and concern at Ruby's sudden statement. "What are you talking about, Ruby? You're no monster," Belle said softly as she rested a hand on the other woman's shoulder blade comfortingly.  
The reply that came from her friend was strained and pleading as she looked desperately into Belle's kind blue eyes. "Then why am I hurting people no matter what choice I make?"

**A/N: A large thank you to my new alphareader!**


	5. Chapter 5

"Ruby," a gentle hand rested on the taller woman's shoulder, "what are you talking about?"  
The genuine concern in the soft blue eyes before her was Ruby's undoing, and her strength was crumbling like the confidence she pretended to own.  
Tears spilled down heated cheeks, smudging away the disguise Ruby had always hid behind until she was no more than the scared young woman that she had been for most of her life. Each breath was ragged, sharp enough to slice into both of their hearts, as she explained her situation.  
When the words were out in the open, she couldn't bear to face Belle in the moments of deafening silence. She could only stare down at the carpet and wipe her cheeks as she awaited judgment, awaited banishment from the rather innocent woman's presence.  
Instead, she felt a warm body pressed against her own, arms wrapping around her in a gentle but secure embrace that made her stiffen, unsure of herself but sure she didn't deserve it.  
"It's going to be okay, we'll figure something out," Belle said gently. "I'll try to find some books that might mention controlling the wolf, and I'm sure Emma and Mary Margaret will help you as well," she continued. The words were soothing, though the accent may have helped with that; it had always fascinated Ruby. Unfortunately, the well-meaning words only seemed to make the woman start crying all over again; which in turn, distressed Belle.  
"Ruby, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you further," the young woman quickly said in an earnest attempt to soothe her friend once more.  
"You haven't, it's just…" a rather pitiful sniffle left the werewolf, "h-how can you be so kind to me knowing that I accepted that horrible, _horrible_ deal?"  
"You didn't have any other choice! I know I can't make you feel better right now, but… let me help you distract yourself for a little while at the very least… please?"  
Before the implications of the offer could even be questioned or the gentle "please" could take effect, a book was pushed into Ruby's hands.  
"It's one of my favorites, it always helps me take my mind off things," Belle offered as a soft explanation, along with a small smile on her lips.  
"I promise we'll figure out how to help you sort this out."

Emma wasn't sure whether to be livid or worried. On one hand; she was still fuming over the nerve Regina had to do something like this, to take advantage of someone's fears and vulnerability. On the other hand; nearly an hour had passed, and she'd been searching every inch of the town trying to find Ruby and talk her out of this whole thing with no luck. Surely there was another way. Maybe the blonde could make a deal with Gold to keep her friend safe from Regina's manipulation?  
The idea was immediately shot down by the quiet, wary corner of her mind. She cared for her friend, but making deals with Gold didn't necessarily guarantee Ruby's safety.  
A huff of frustration left the blonde as she headed for the dense forest, walking towards the vast expansion of wilderness before her eyes-the wilderness that may just be the place that could offer Ruby some form of comfort right now. Well, that was strange to think about, how her family and friends in town had all lived surrounded by the forest once, and how some of them felt more at home in the forest than in a warm, secure house… Thankfully, her thoughts were soon put on hold when she saw another figure.  
"Ruby?" Her voice was tentative. In all the time she'd spent searching, she still didn't know what to say. She watched as the slender body turned to face her, confirming the identity of whom she'd suspected it was. "Are you alright?" Her voice softened, and she slowly closed most of the distance between them.  
Ruby said nothing, she only nodded and set aside a worn book, her hands resting in her lap.  
"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Emma offered a thin smile of encouragement; eyes searching Ruby's for any hint of her thoughts.  
"Not particularly. Why did you come here?" Her voice was gruff and raspy, but the undertone betrayed some of the fear and conflict clouding her thoughts if you listened closely enough.  
"Look, Ruby," the blonde sighed, "I know you're scared, but we can help you if you let us. Give us a chance. You don't have to rely on Regina's magic, or whatever she has up her sleeve."  
The request was immediately denied.  
"Emma, no! I'll hurt someone, or even worse, kill them, if I don't do this! H-how would you feel if the wolf, if I, killed Henry because I couldn't control myself?" Her eyes were tearing up as her voice raised in pitch, and when silence met her question, she knew she had proven her point. "Just go home…" The words were sharp with her inner distress and turmoil. "I really appreciate that you want to help, but you can't…" the distressed woman watched Emma with wide, mournful eyes. "I'm just as big of a monster as everyone sees Regina as," she finished in a quiet, defeated whisper.  
"That is _not_ true!" Emma interrupted, nearly before the other woman had finished speaking.  
"Lemur," Ruby smiled sadly, shaking her head, "it's the truth. Go home and be with your family."  
"For all we know, you'll stay in the forest, or you'll even remember how to control the wolf!"  
"We can't risk it."


	6. Chapter 6

_When the sun sets and darkness settles in, our demons awaken and take advantage of our weaknesses. They push, sometimes too hard, and leave us to either get stronger or die. The way they take over our minds, manipulate our thoughts… whoever said we have free will is nothing more than a liar._  
"Henry, before you go upstairs, there's something I'd like to discuss with you," Regina's voice held no room for argument, as usual, though the boy had come to accept that this was simply how Regina always spoke and not to take it personally.  
The boy turned, taking in the woman who had raised him for a few moments before he responded.  
"Okay," he answered. Part of him dreaded this, assuming he was merely about to be scolded once again. The reality, however, was quite the opposite.  
"I trust you remember that you began to make it clear you would like a dog a few years ago?" The tone of the question was soft, as though his mother was going out of her way to sound kind, a quality he never attributed to her.  
The answer came as a nod; Henry remembered quite well. After nightmares had hassled him sporadically, he had requested one, wanting a protector. Had his reasoning been revealed, maybe that wish would have been granted. That thought was soon replaced with the questioning of why the matter was suddenly being brought up.  
"Well, for the next three evenings, you have that opportunity," Regina went on to explain. Brown eyes watched him as he furrowed his brow in confusion, though a grin took over his features nonetheless. Regina proceeded to elaborate upon the matter to him, "Miss Lucas, as you already know, is affected rather…_uniquely_ by the full moon. Now that things are back to normal, she's affected by it once more. She asked me to help her, and so long as my methods of controlling the wolf works, she will stay here."  
Henry was a smart child, to say the least. He knew that the only reason this was being brought up was because his mother was very certain that she could indeed control the wolf with no danger of losing that control over it. He nodded with a smile, maybe she really was changing. He even went so far as to congratulate her with a hug before scampering upstairs.  
The Evil Queen allowed a small smile at the victory as she turned and started outside, beginning her path to the werewolf she would be playing host to. If things went well, this would benefit her in more ways than one. By now, the being waiting for her in her vault would be a wolf, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

"Henry, will you show Miss Lucas around? I need to deal with Miss Swan, or I'd do so myself," Regina called, her voice sounding from the bottom of the stairs with her return. An affirmative answer came from her son, and she waited with the rather large wolf for the boy to make his way downstairs.  
Henry glanced at his mother as he descended, a question on his lips as she turned and gave the wolf a curt nod. The beast's shoulder was easily level with his mother's head, he noticed with prickling unease. Of course he knew that Ruby wouldn't hurt him, but the wolf was _massive. _Large enough to scare off a bear, probably. Maybe even large enough to take on a lion and win. His thoughts were dispelled when his mother's voice sounded again, telling him to behave and reminding him of the leftovers in the event of his hunger. The words were met with a nod and he even went so far as to tell her that he loved her in the hope that she would be more lenient with his other mom.  
Ruby watched the exchange, watched the distracted statement catch Regina off-guard. Brown eyes had widened slightly, and there was a softness in them reserved for her only family member. The fact that the kid probably didn't entirely mean the statement sickened Ruby a bit. She was by no means Regina's biggest fan, but even she had to admit that Regina had always been a damn good mother to the boy.  
The woman left soon enough and Ruby's attention shifted to Henry again, head tilting when his approach halted. The question that left him was more than a little wary.  
"You're still Ruby, right?"  
Brown eyes watched with a hint of satisfaction as the wolf's head bobbed up and down in a nod. Okay, so she was definitely in there, He just wanted to be cautious, and be sure that she would remain in control. He pondered the matter over as he wandered into the living room, Ruby's claws clicking gently on the floor behind him. He didn't turn until the couch was before him, a glance over his shoulder revealed the wolf lying down and watching him.  
When she noticed she had his attention, she gave a little nod at the T.V. A grin appeared on the boy's features as he pressed the power button on the remote. Yes, this was definitely Ruby.  
By the time their show came to end, Henry's back was resting against Ruby's side, and a now-empty bowl rested beside him, its twin between Ruby's paws. Her head rested on a large paw and Henry ran a hand through her thick fur to capture her attention.  
"What did my mom do to you to control the wolf?" he questioned, a glint of childish curiosity and interest in his brown eyes. From what he could tell, Ruby hadn't been harmed in any way-which was good. Unfortunately, the answer he received was less than satisfactory. The wolf shook her head, reminding him that she couldn't exactly speak to him. Well, that just meant he'd have to find another way. Ruby could still understand him, obviously. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to double-check though.  
"You still understand me, right?"  
Ruby nodded, focusing on the boy, and watching him patiently. She could practically see the gears turning, and so she left him to his thoughts while her mind drifted and returned to her own. Ever since Regina had found her after she changed, her thoughts had been a whirl of memories and instinct.  
She could see every part of her life if perfect clarity, especially those that involved the wolf. In the visions, she was no longer blacked out as the wolf. She saw each gash. Heard each scream. Tasted each drop of blood. Her thoughts kept straying to the moments the wolf had killed. The sickening moments in which the beautiful sparkling white blanket of snow would be stained crimson red all because of her own teeth and claws. Ruby had killed before. As Red and as the wolf, but two deaths in particular still haunted her each night, but they had never haunted her more than at the moment.  
Oh gods. _Peter_… A soft whimper emitted from her throat as she pawed at her muzzle, shuddering. How could she have been so naive back then? He could still be alive if it weren't for her ignorance! The knowledge upset her stomach, and she closed her golden eyes tightly, trying to block out the terrible thoughts which continuously kept on resurfacing themselves in her mind.  
Although…  
A small guilty piece of the woman was actually somewhat glad that the incident had taken place. She would never have become as close as she had to Snow. Snow, well, Mary Margaret now, who was more than likely still furious with her. If only they were still in the Enchanted Forest; the other woman was never able to stay mad for long there, where they could go on adventures and cause trouble. She missed all of that so much. She missed it just being the two of them. Truth be told, what Ruby missed the most about their travels were the winter nights. When having a fire to keep them warm was too risky, she would find herself trying to sleep when Snow would snuggle up against her back, an arm draped over her waist as though to gently pin her in place. The pair would proceed to cuddle until sleep overtook them, even when there had been a fire.  
Of course, that had come to a stop after Charming came along and married her best friend, she thought bitterly. Ever since, they'd been drifting apart… it was what hurt Ruby oh so much nearly every day since then and now that her memories had come back… Her precious Snow was what kept her focused on happy thoughts for a moment. Her best friend whom she had killed her own mother to protect.  
Her mother though… that was a whole other terrible tale for her to ponder…  
"Did it involve magic?" Henry's asked suddenly, his voice pulling her away from her dark thoughts. It was a welcome distraction, for whatever Regina had done to her was driving her insane each time she had a spare moment to think. Nonetheless, the nod that answered him was distracted, and she only opened her eyes slightly; the words not enough for her to focus on to prevent herself from being sucked back into the dark abyss of the wolf's life.  
Henry watched Ruby stand stiffly, following her when she began to walk. Ruby didn't want the boy to see how tortured she was at the moment, since she didn't want him to confront his mother over her. The boy sighed when Ruby started for the door, "You know you can't go outside with the hunting party around."  
At the words "hunting party," Ruby was snapped out of her zombie-like trance and she lifted her head and whipped around, her golden eyes fixing on him as the wolf halted all movement.  
"You didn't know about the hunting party, did you?"  
Ruby shook her head in response, a bit shaky as she looked the boy over. Hunting party? She sure vividly remembered the hunting parties back in the Enchanted forest. They were what changed her life, and caused her to be on the run…Well, of course they'd want to kill the wolf before someone who mattered died because of it, she thought stonily.  
She found her foreleg being hugged somewhat comfortingly by her companion.  
"My moms won't let them get to you," Henry said firmly, his face somewhat buried in her fur. The boy was as confident as ever. He moved away when Ruby shuffled back and glanced down at him unseeingly before padding off to find somewhere quiet to curl up and mope. Her eyes were blank and callous, already somewhere far off. The little boy sighed. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Belle was accustomed to waking up to strange things, some good and some bad. Somehow, a disheveled Ruby on her doorstep at sunrise was one of the most worrisome.  
"I'm glad you made it through the night," the words were in the air before Belle could think better of them, and she offered a sheepish smiled as she stepped aside, inviting the other woman in. "I can make some coffee or tea for you, if you'd like."  
The taller woman only shook her head, numb after the sickening swirl of thoughts that had overtaken her brain last night as the wolf. She walked into the library and gently eased the door shut behind her before looking to her friend, trying to collect her thoughts. "Would it be alright if we talk in your bedroom?" she said, her voice weak and not at all as confident as she wanted to be.  
Belle nodded, curiosity mixed with concern in her blue eyes, as she bid Ruby to follow her before disappearing up the narrow flight of stairs to her small apartment atop the library. The taller woman was clearly distressed, but Belle wanted her to be comfortable when they discussed whatever was bothering her, so she remained silent until they reached their destination.  
"What's wrong?" The question was rather blunt, but she was too worried about what could have happened-perhaps someone from last night's hunt had found Ruby and done some damage-to ease Ruby into talking.  
Ruby sighed, sitting down on the bed and closing her eyes for a long moment, pondering what she should and should not say. As much as she wanted to spill out the emotion welling up within her from the previous night itself and the memories it caused, she refrained by biting her lip, hard. That wouldn't be practical to talk about, nor would it be fair to put so much worry on Belle. Regina was the only one who could ensure the safety of the town from the wolf, and Ruby was prepared to risk her own sanity for it. Besides, she didn't want Belle to think that they shouldn't even try to get Regina to help again just because of the petty matter.  
Instead, she simply stated, "Did you know about the hunting party?"  
Belle sat beside her, "No… Well, not until all of the commotion last night… How did you avoid them?"  
A sigh came before the story. "Regina. She said she'd give me a place that could hold the wolf as long as I did something for her. I tried to and now Snow-or Mary Margaret, whichever you know her as-is furious with me, and when Regina finds out that it didn't work and I failed, she's going to stop helping me and I'm going to put everyone in danger all over again!" She hung her head, her breathing already starting to become slightly uneven and quick from the tremendous stress.  
"No. That won't happen, Ruby. The library has a basement for storage that you can stay in. I won't let you hand yourself to them." Belle took one of Ruby's hands gently in her own, "We're friends, right?"  
"Yes, but I can't let you-"  
Belle cut her off, "I'm not going to let you be hunted. Now lay down, you look exhausted and I'll bet you didn't sleep at all last night," she scolded firmly, not wanting to hear Ruby mention how dangerous she was.  
There hadn't been much room left for argument, but Ruby weakly tried one, "If anyone should sleep in your bed, it's you. Besides, I'm the one who woke you up."  
"Just get some sleep, I'll rest later."  
"I"m not stealing your bed."  
Belle gently but firmly guided her friend onto her back, and gently pointed out, "You need at least a little sleep before your shift at Granny's. If you're going to be so difficult just because this is my bed, I'll lie down with you." Her blue eyes were firm as they held the gaze of the hazel ones before her.  
Ruby knew to stop arguing and simply nodded, curling up a little bit and closing her eyes, trying not to even think at all, paranoid after her stay with Regina. Belle laid beside her, pulling a blanket over them both and watching her friend for a moment before her own eyes closed.  
Long moments of silence passed, turning to countless minutes. Sleep was just out of Belle's reach, and she guided a fingertip along Ruby's palm to see if her other woman was still awake. When the action didn't receive a response, it was repeated gently until Ruby's fingers suddenly closed around Belle's.  
An indignant sound left Belle, making the sleepy woman chuckle softly, "Go to sleep, Belle. Sweet dreams."


End file.
